Tapered planter box

ABSTRACT

A tapered planter box includes a bottom surface extending in a plane and a plurality of sides extending upward from the bottom and defining an interior. Each of the plurality of sides tapers outward from the interior at a taper angle. Each of the plurality of sides includes a first plank extending along a longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis extends generally parallel to the plane of the bottom surface. The first plank has a body and a tapered dovetail extending therefrom along the longitudinal axis. The tapered dovetail includes an outer trapezoidally shaped surface having a first size and an inner trapezoidally shaped surface having a second size, larger than the first size. The dovetail on the first plank on each side interconnects with the dovetail on the first plank on an adjacent side.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

U.S. Design Patent Application No. 29/363,394, filed on Jun. 9, 2010 is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tapered planter box that is constructed from individual planks having tapered dovetail ends that interlock with adjacent planks on either side.

BACKGROUND

Dovetail joints are commonly used in carpentry because of their strength. A typical dovetail joint is formed by cutting dovetails in one piece of wood and corresponding pins in another piece of wood, and then sliding the pins between adjacent dovetails, forming a joint. One drawback to this method of construction, however, is that, while the joint is strong in the direction along which the dovetails extend, the joint is not as strong in the direction along which the pins extend.

It would be beneficial to provide a dovetail joint design that provides a strong connection in more than one direction.

SUMMARY

Briefly, the present invention provides a tapered planter box comprising a bottom surface extending in a plane and a plurality of sides extending upward from the bottom and defining an interior. Each of the plurality of sides tapers outward from the interior at an oblique angle. Each of the plurality of sides comprises a first plank extending along a longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis extends generally parallel to the plane of the bottom surface. The first plank has a body and a tapered dovetail extending therefrom along the longitudinal axis. The tapered dovetail comprises an outer trapezoidally shaped surface having a first size and an inner trapezoidally shaped surface having a second size, larger than the first size. The dovetail on the first plank on each side interconnects with the dovetail on the first plank on an adjacent side.

Additionally, the present invention provides a tapered planter box comprising a bottom surface extending in a plane and a first side extending upward at an oblique angle from the bottom surface. The first side tapers outward from the bottom surface. The first side comprises a first plank extending along a longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis extends generally parallel to the plane of the bottom surface. The first plank has a body and a tapered first dovetail extending therefrom along the longitudinal axis. The planter box also has a second side adjacent the first side and extending upward at the oblique angle from the bottom surface. The second side comprises a lower plank having a body and a tapered lower dovetail extending therefrom. The lower dovetail is located below the first dovetail. An upper plank is located above the lower plank. The upper plank has a body and a tapered upper dovetail extending therefrom. The upper dovetail is located above the first dovetail.

Further, the present invention provides a tapered planter box comprising a first side constructed from a first plurality of planks lying in a first plane at an oblique angle a from a vertical. One of the planks on the first side has a height h, a maximum body length L, and has a first side dovetail extending outwardly from each end of the body. An adjacent plank of the first side has the height h and a maximum length about (L+2 h(tan α)). A second side is adjacent to the first side. The second side is constructed from a second plurality of planks The second plurality of planks is equal to the first plurality of planks plus one. Each of a lowest and a highest of the second plurality of planks has a height about h/2.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings certain embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are employed for designating the same elements throughout the several figures. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tapered planter box according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the tapered planter box of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the tapered planter box of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the tapered planter box of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a standard plank used to build the tapered planter box of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the plank of FIG. 5, taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the plank of FIG. 5, taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a bottom plank used to build the tapered planter box of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In describing the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be used for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, it being understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents operating in similar manner to accomplish similar purpose. It is understood that the drawings are not drawn exactly to scale. In the drawings, similar reference numbers are used for designating similar elements throughout the several figures.

The following describes particular embodiments of the present invention. Referring to the figures in general, a planter box 100 having tapered sides according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. Planter box 100 is constructed from a plurality of planks having dovetail joints at either end. The planks are stacked in alternating fashion to form a structurally sound configuration with interlocking dovetail joints at each corner.

Referring to FIG. 2, a base 110 is located at the bottom of planter box 100 and extends in a plane P. Base 110 may be constructed from a single sheet of material (not shown), or from a plurality of base planks 112. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, feet 114 may be located under base 110 to lift base 110 from ground G. Feet 114 may be constructed from steel or other suitable material. In an exemplary embodiment, base planks 112 of base 110 are aligned relative to feet 114 such that feet 114 support base planks 112 from underneath.

Planter box 100 includes four walls 120, 122, 124, 126 that extend upwardly from base 110 and define an interior of planter 100. Walls 120 and 124 are identical and walls 122 and 126 are identical. For simplicity of description, only walls 120 and 122 will be described. Walls 120, 122 are tapered outward from the vertical by an oblique angle α (shown in FIGS. 3 and 4). In an exemplary embodiment, angle α is about 10 degrees, although those skilled in the art will recognize that angle α may be other degrees. The outer surface of each wall 120, 122 forms a plane P1, P2, respectively. Each of planes P1, P2 extends at oblique angle α away from the vertical such that the top opening of planter 100 is larger than base 110 of planter 100.

Walls 120, 122 are interconnected with each other through dovetail joints at the intersection of walls 120, 122. The dovetail joints provide a strong interlocking connection so that a horizontal force from the inside of planter 100 will not dislodge walls 120, 122.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, wall 122 is constructed from a total of four planks 130. A bottom plank 132, which engages base 110, and a top plank 134 are generally about one half the height of remaining planks 136, 138. This allows for interlocking of planks 130 to form walls 120, 122. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, wall 120 is constructed from a total of three planks 140, 142, 144, each of which is the same height of planks 136, 138. Planks 136, 138, 140, 142, 144 are generally referred to as “standard planks,” because each of these planks has generally similar characteristics. Those skilled in the art will recognize that wall 120 may have more than four planks and that wall 122 will have more than three planks, but it is also recognized that wall 122 will have one plank more than wall 120.

Referring to FIG. 5, plank 136, which is representative of planks 138, 140, 142, 144, is shown. The description of planks 138, 140, 142, 144 is the same as that for plank 136. For simplicity of description, plank 136 is broken into two distinct portions: (1) a plank body 150, which is identified by the portion of the plank in FIG. 5 with the horizontal cross-hatching; and (2) a dovetail, or tail 154, located at either end of the plank body 150, which is identified by the portion of plank 136 in FIG. 5 with the vertical cross-hatching. Each tail 154 extends along a longitudinal axis A_(L).

Plank 136 has a plank body 150 having a height “h”, a maximum length “L” as measured along the top of plank 136, a minimum length “l” as measured along the bottom of plank 136, and the longitudinal axis A_(L) that extends parallel to the top and bottom of plank 136 as well as to the plane of bottom surface 110, and halfway between the top and the bottom of plank 136. The length L is about 2 h(tan α) longer than the length l for plank 136. The maximum length L of plank 136 is about the same length as the minimum length l of the plank stacked on top of plank 136. Plank 136 also has a plank end face 152 at either end. Plank body 150 is a trapezoid in shape, with the top and bottom of plank 136 being parallel to each other, with the end faces 152 extending at the taper angle α relative to longitudinal axis A_(L). Plank 136 also has an outside surface 160 and an inside surface 162 (shown in FIG. 6). Outside surface 160 and inside surface 162 are parallel to each other.

As shown in FIG. 7, end face 152 is not perpendicular to either outside surface 160 or inside surface 162, but is oblique from being perpendicular by an angle Ψ. When taper angle α is about 10 degrees, angle Ψ is about 1 degree 40 minutes. For a taper angle α that approaches 0 degrees, angle Ψ also approaches 0 degrees and for a taper angle α that increases above 10 degrees, angle Ψ increases as well. Angle Ψ must be greater than zero to accommodate the taper of walls 120, 122 from the vertical. If, for example, one were to cut an imaginary first plane across planter 100 that is parallel to the ground G, the angle between adjacent sides 120, 122 would be 90 degrees. If, however, one were to cut an imaginary second plane across planter 100 that is perpendicular to inside surface 162 of plank 136, the angle between adjacent sides 120, 122 along the second imaginary plane is greater than 90 degrees by angle Ψ.

Referring back to FIG. 5 as well as to FIG. 6, each dovetail 154 comprises a trapezoidally shaped outer surface 164 having a first size and a trapezoidally shaped inner surface 166 having a second size, larger than the first size. Dovetail 154 extends outwardly from end face 152 of plank body 150 and forms an acute angle γ with respect to end face 152. In an exemplary embodiment, angle γ equals about 70 degrees. Additionally, each tail 154 has angles β and δ relative to longitudinal axis A_(L), with angle β not equal to angle δ. In an exemplary embodiment, angle β equals about 10 degrees and angle δ equals about 30 degrees. Generally, the sum of angle β and angle δ is approximately equal to 2(90−γ).

Dovetail 154 includes a tail end face 156 that extends in a plane. The plane of tail end face 156 is parallel to the plane of plank end face 152. End face 156 also extends at an angle of 90 degrees plus the oblique taper angle α from the longitudinal axis A_(L). Dovetail 154 also has a top surface 158 that extends obliquely relative to outer surface 164 and a bottom surface 159 that also extends obliquely relative to outer surface 164. Both top surface 158 and bottom surface 159 also extend obliquely to longitudinal axis A_(L).

As shown in FIG. 6, end face 156 is trapezoidal shaped, with the smaller of the parallel sides located on the outside of planter 100 and with the larger of the parallel sides located on the interior of planter 100. In an exemplary embodiment, an angle λ formed by outer surface 164 and top surface 158 is about 110 degrees and an angle σ formed by inner surface 166 and top surface 158 is about 70 degrees. Additionally, an angle λ formed by outer surface 164 and bottom surface 159 is about 110 degrees and an angle σ formed by inner surface 166 and bottom surface 159 is about 70 degrees.

For ease of manufacturing, base 110 is generally rectangular, and is sized such that plank 136 is the same length as plank 142 and plank 138 is the same length as plank 144. This reduces the amount of adjustments necessary to tooling during manufacture of each individual plank 136, 142 and 138, 144, respectively.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, planks 136 are stacked on top of each other with a minimal space between vertically adjacent plank bodies. In an exemplary embodiment, a space of about 1/32 inch (about 0.08 centimeters) is maintained. This spacing ensures proper mating of the dovetails between adjacent sides.

Walls 122 and 126 are started first by laying bottom plank 132 on base 110 so that bottom plank 132 spans all of base planks 112. Optionally, an interior portion 170 of bottom plank 132 may be rabbetted out so that the bottom of bottom plank 132 is flush with the bottom of base 110. If so, bottom plank 132 must have a height slightly larger than h/2 to compensate for the thickness of base 110. Alternatively, bottom plank 132 may just be laid across the top of base 110. In either embodiment, the bottom of bottom plank 132 is mitered at the taper angle α as shown in FIG. 8 in order to start the taper of walls 122 and 126.

Walls 120 and 124 are then started by laying plank 140 across bottom plank 132 such that dovetail 154 of plank 140 engages and interlocks with dovetail 154 of bottom plank 132 as shown in FIG. 1. Planks 136, 142, 138, 144, and 134 are then laid, in that order, building planter 100 to a height of three planks 136.

The alternation of plank laying between walls 120 and 122 builds up planter 100 and provides strength at the dovetail joints that is not provided with standard dovetail joinery using single element sidewalls.

By way of example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, plank 142 on side 120 has a dovetail 142 a and plank 136, which is lower than plank 142 on side 122, has a dovetail 136 a located below dovetail 142 a. Plank 138, which is above plank 142 on side 122, has a dovetail 138 a located above dovetail 142 a. Dovetails 136 a and 138 a engage and interlock with dovetail 142 a to prevent plank 142 from being pushed outward from planter 100 due to forces that may be exerted against plank 142 from inside planter 100, such as, for example, by soil that is insert into planter 100 after assembly.

To secure planks 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, 142, 144 together, a pair of spaced apart holes are drilled downward through planks 134, 138, 136, and 132 as well as through base 110 and each foot 114. The holes may be drilled in each plank independently, or all at the same time. A carriage bolt 180 is inserted through the holes and secured with a nut (not shown) underneath foot 114. Optionally, handles 182 or other decorative elements may be affixed to the top of plank 134 and secured to planter 100 via carriage bolts 180.

Optionally, as shown in FIG. 1, ends of top plank 134 may be chamfered to match the slope of the top surface of plank 144. Such a chamfer is for aesthetic purposes and may be omitted if desired.

The oblique angle of taper angle α requires additional consideration of the interlocking arrangement of the dovetails that is not required during the construction of prior art structures having vertical walls, such as, for example, log cabins. For example, in order for the top surface 158 of dovetail 154 on wall 120 to properly interlock with the lower surface 159 of an adjacent dovetail 154 on wall 122, as described above, multiple cuts at various oblique angles must be made. For planks made from wood stock, this requires the special jigs be prepared for each cut, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art. The jigs must be set at different angles for each cut in order to arrive at the desired taper angle α for both the body end face 152 and the dovetail end face 156 as well as angles Ψ, β, δ, γ, σ, and λ.

In an exemplary embodiment, ends of each tail 154 are co-planar with the adjacent side. Optionally, the ends of each tail 154 can be extended beyond the plane of the adjacent side to add a decorative touch to the planter. For example, the ends of each tail 154 can extend about one eighth inch beyond the plane of the adjacent side.

When the interior of planter box 100 is filled with soil, the weight of the soil pushes planks 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, 142, 144 outward from the interior of planter box 100 such that the tail of each plank pushes against the tails of the upper and lower planks on each adjacent side, further strengthening the joints.

While the figures show planter box 100 having a generally rectangular base, those skilled in the art will recognize that a planter box constructed according to the present invention may be alternatively shaped, such as, for example, generally square shaped. Further, while the figures show planter box 100 having four tapered sides, those skilled in the art will recognize that a planter box constructed according to the present disclosure may have an alternative even number of sides, such as, for example, six or eight tapered sides.

While an exemplary embodiment of planter box 100 is constructed from wood planks, those skilled in the art will recognize that planter box 100 may be constructed from other materials, such as, for example, a composite or a synthetic material that is cut or formed into appropriate lengths according to the formulae and angles described above.

While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with preferred embodiments, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention. 

1. A tapered planter box comprising: a bottom surface extending in a plane; a plurality of sides extending upward from the bottom and defining an interior, each of the plurality of sides tapering outward from the interior at an oblique angle, each of the plurality of sides comprising: a first plank extending along a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis extending generally parallel to the plane of the bottom surface, the first plank having a body and a tapered dovetail extending therefrom along the longitudinal axis, wherein the tapered dovetail comprises an outer trapezoidally shaped surface having a first size and an inner trapezoidally shaped surface having a second size, larger than the first size, wherein the dovetail on the first plank on each side interconnects with the dovetail on the first plank on an adjacent side.
 2. The planter box according to claim 1, further comprising a second plank located on top of the first plank, the second plank having a second plank body, the second plank body being longer than the first plank body by a distance of about 2 h(tan α), wherein his a distance from the top of the first plank to the top of the second plank and a is the oblique angle.
 3. The planter box according to claim 1, wherein the body of the first plank has an end and wherein the tapered dovetail and the end form an acute angle.
 4. The planter box according to claim 1, wherein the first plank body on one of the plurality of sides has the same length as the first plank body on an adjacent side.
 5. The planter box according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of sides comprises a bottom plank engaging the bottom surface, the bottom plank being about one half as high as the first plank.
 6. The planter box according to claim 5, wherein the one of the plurality of sides comprises a top plank, the top plank being about one half as high as the first plank.
 7. The planter box according to claim 1, wherein the dovetail has a free end extending at an angle of 90 degrees plus the oblique angle from the longitudinal axis.
 8. A tapered planter box comprising: a bottom surface extending in a plane; a first side extending upward at an oblique angle from the bottom surface, the first side tapering outward from the bottom surface, the first side comprising: a first plank extending along a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis extending generally parallel to the plane of the bottom surface, the first plank having a body and a tapered first dovetail extending therefrom along the longitudinal axis; and a second side adjacent the first side and extending upward at the oblique angle from the bottom surface, the second side comprising: a lower plank having a body and a tapered lower dovetail extending therefrom, the lower dovetail being located below the first dovetail; and an upper plank located above the lower plank, the upper plank having a body and a tapered upper dovetail extending therefrom, the upper dovetail being located above the first dovetail.
 9. The tapered planter box according to claim 8, wherein the tapered first dovetail is generally trapezoidally shaped and having a first side extending from the first plank body at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis and a second side extending from the first plank body at a second angle to the longitudinal axis, different from the first angle.
 10. The tapered planter box according to claim 8, wherein the first plank body further comprises an outside surface and an end face, wherein the end face extends obliquely relative to the outside surface.
 11. The tapered planter box according to claim 8, wherein the maximum length of the top plank body is about 2 h(tan α) longer than maximum length of bottom plank body, wherein h equals the vertical height of the top plank and a equals the oblique angle.
 12. The tapered planter box according to claim 8, wherein the first plank body is trapezoidally shaped.
 13. A tapered planter box comprising: a first side constructed from a first plurality of planks lying in a first plane at an oblique angle α from a vertical, wherein one of the planks on the first side has a height h, a maximum body length L, and has a first side dovetail extending outwardly from each end of the body, and wherein an adjacent plank of the first side has the height h and a maximum length about (L+2 h(tan α)); and a second side adjacent to the first side, the second side being constructed from a second plurality of planks, wherein the second plurality of planks is equal to the first plurality of planks plus one and wherein each of a lowest and a highest of the second plurality of planks has a height about h/2.
 14. The tapered planter box according to claim 13, wherein the first side dovetail further comprises a top surface extending obliquely relative to the first plane.
 15. The tapered planter box according to claim 13, wherein the second side lies in a second plane at the oblique angle α from the vertical.
 16. The tapered planter box according to claim 15, wherein the first side dovetail has an end that extends parallel to the second plane.
 17. The tapered planter box according to claim 13, wherein the second side comprises a second side plank having a maximum body length L.
 18. The tapered planter box according to claim 17, wherein one of the second side planks comprises a second side dovetail interlocking with the first side dovetails of the first plurality of planks and the adjacent plank.
 19. The tapered planter box according to claim 13, wherein each of the first plurality of planks have a trapezoidally shaped body.
 20. The tapered planter box according to claim 19, wherein each of the second plurality of planks have a trapezoidally shaped body. 